Introduction

The XUV500 is Mahindra’s first entry level premium SUV. It sits above the Scorpio in the product portfolio and is also the best looking and most powerful car from Mahindra. Since Mahindra took over South Korean car maker SSsangyong, the company has had a chance to invest heavily into its R&D for new product development and the XUV500 is the best example from it. The car has been very well received by the Indian market. Currently it comes with a brand new diesel engine. The car competes mainly with the Renault Duster and the Skoda Yeti, as it is also considered a crossover vehicle.

Design & Styling

Mahindra claims the car design has been inspired by a cheetah, but we really had to stare at it intensely to begin to notice that. However the car does look very good and is a huge step forward for the company in terms of design. It’s got a nice SUV look to it with it large front grille and stylish headlights. The bumper on the front and the rear look nice, and the large wheel arches make it look butch and tough. The exterior silhouette is also very attractive and there are nice curves all along the car. It’s just over 4 and-a-half metres in length and sits high at 1785mm, plus it is also wide. It’s just the perfect size. The nice big wheels and the alloy rims add a plush touch to it, not to mention those funky looking handles on the doors. It’s a very crisp and contemporary design and that is the reason it sells so well.

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Interiors

The interiors have been done up very well and you definitely get a sense of luxury when you open the doors and see the beautiful colors. The dashboard has been designed very well and looks modern with lots of buttons and tech. the ergonomics are quite nice since the car seems to be the perfect size. The instrument cluster looks nice but the display could have been a little bit better. There is lots of room for the front and middle row passengers, but the third row occupants will definitely have to squeeze in hard. The seats can also be rearranged in case you need to carry heavy loads.

Engine & Transmission

The XUV500 comes with the mhawk engine borrowed from the Scorpio but the engine as well as the gearbox and other parts of the car have been tweaked for greater performance. Power figures stand at 140bhp and 330Nm of torque, which is very impressive indeed. The engine seems well engineered just like in the Scorpio, but the addition of the 6-speed manual transmission make it all the more better.

Performance and Handling

The turbo does take some time to kick in and the car does seem to have a little bit of lag compared to other diesel SUVs. However once the turbocharger kicks in your acceleration is very strong and linear. You need to get past 1800rpm to feel the car pull forward with power. On the highway the ar performs very well and is very stable, plus overtaking is effortless. The gear changes are also very nice and smooth and the addition of a sixth gear is good if you are cruising. The car uses a new suspension setup and the ride quality is very decent and the best for any Mahindra car. Another best, is the way the car handles, it is in fact quite brilliant thanks to its low weight, medium height and great steering response. It is also a decent off-roader thanks its tyres and engine power. The car also has all disc brakes so the braking power is also very effective.

Fuel Efficiency

The XUV500 gives a decent fuel economy of 12kmpl, thanks its light weight.

Features

The XUV500 comes with some awesome features for an entry level premium SUV. You get power steering with mounted controls, power windows and air conditioning with automatic temperature control. New age features include a touch-screen infotainment system, an audio system, GPS navigation, Driver information system , vice commands, remote keyless entry, cruise control and a cool box in the centre armrest. These are very impressive features.

Safety

The car also comes with new age safety features such as 6 airbags, Hill hold and decent control, ABD with ESP and EBD.

Quality & Reliability

The overall quality is quite good but again the use of cheap plastics had to be used if the car is priced very competitively. The interiors are in that sense decent but could have been better. Initially the XUV500 did have some electrical issues, but most have been sorted out, and it must be mentioned that a car with these many features will surely have expensive operating and servicing costs. However it is still quite a remarkable car and well built to be a reliable machine. The engine is well refines and the mechanical components are very tough.

Value for Money

Such a car that has SUV characteristics, and has a powerful engine with loads of safety features and new age technology certainly deserves some praise for its pricing. It is priced perfectly for what you are being offered. It’s a win-win situation, and that is why the car has had tremendous sales success.

Verdict

This is a great package; it’s perfect for the city and for the highway and it can even go off-road. The car looks very attractive and macho; it’s got great space, decent efficiency and great power. If you are looking for a modern SUV that fits in a tight budget, the XUV500 is a great choice.

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5 User Reviews

dv#374

Reviewed on Aug 04, 2012

Rated 5.0/5

Xuv500 is one of the fab car of the world. It is equipped with lots of features and is very comfortable. Also its safety is very good. Mahindra XUV500 is the most spacious and feature-rich sports utility vehicle in its segment. Its features such as modern looking twin-pod instrument cluster, very stylish central console and all-new interesting design for the AC vents are remarkable. The top-model of XUV500 will feature Remote central locking, Key-less entry system, climate control system, Cruise, Audio, Phone Controls &amp; Voice Command Switches on Steering, 6-inch colour touch screen infotainment display, AUX, Bluetooth and USB support.

Vikrant Singh#365

Reviewed on Jul 12, 2012

Rated 3.0/5

I dont own a XUV yet. I have booked it on 10th June 2012 and delivery date is 27th Aug 2012, but now I believe that I should have booked it after Diwali. XUV is a strong and dashing vehicle but there is still a lot to be improved like plastics used in interior is of inferior quality, headlights settings need to be fixed, software issues need to be corrected, Grinding noise in the breaks need to be fixed, clutch is hard and need M and M attention.
When we talk about SUV Sports Utility Vehicle, we have very limited options. We assume Safari, Scorpio, Innova, Aria, Xylo are SUV but in real sense, Endeavour and Bolero are only real SUVs available in the market for middle class Indian. M and M has to make XUV a real SUV which can be driven in off roads with ease and no maintenance cost involved.
M and M, Good job done but still lot to be improved.

Devanshu Kumar#329

Reviewed on May 09, 2012

Rated 5.0/5

I love this car. Such a nice car. I had to buy it in December but I told them to wait till may. I bought it on 6th may 12. But such a car I had never seen in my life. Beautiful, fantastic. I had waited for 4 months and at last I bought it.

NARENDER#271

Reviewed on Dec 02, 2011

Rated 5.0/5

I am dying to buy this car.
My friend had told me about this car and when I saw this I wish to buy this car. Sooner or later I will surely buy this car.

arul murugan#232

Reviewed on Oct 09, 2011

Rated 4.0/5

We will discuss after 5000km running. It is difficult to review at this time. only test drive has taken after a complete satisfaction only I am gong to purchase it...

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